The Best Home Remedies to Get Rid of Spider Veins

If one day you notice web-like formations on your legs or ankles, don’t panic. Spider veins might be unsightly, but they are usually harmless and often disappear on their own. They can however cause some uncomfortable sensations, like itching or burning, so many strive to get rid of them. Luckily, there are numerous things you can try at home to diminish and prevent the spidery formations.

Also, don’t feel alone in your experience. About 55% of women and 40 to 45% of men have to deal with some type of vein problem in their lives. Some opt to visit the doctor and get medical treatment, while others prefer the natural approach that can expedite the disappearance of spider veins.

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What are spider veins?

Spider veins, medically known as telangiectasias or angioectasias, are similar to varicose veins, but smaller. These tiny veins, found close to the surface of the skin, resemble spider webs or branches of a tree and are usually red, purple or blue.

Most often, spider veins are found on the legs (thighs, back of the calves, inside of the legs, and ankles). This is due to the high pressure that veins in the lower extremities have to endure. Just think about the force of gravity, the pressure of body weight, and the need to carry blood all the way up to the heart!

Causes of spider veins

There are many factors that can contribute to the development of spider veins – some you can influence more easily than others. Risk factors include:

Family predisposition

Prolonged standing, sometimes connected with certain professions

Obesity

Taking contraceptive pills

A history of blood clots or circulation problems

Hormonal influences – they are more common during puberty, pregnancy and menopause

How to get rid of spider veins naturally

Topical remedies

Remedies applied directly to the spider veins can help relieve the symptoms and shrink them quickly. Try the following:

Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

This heavy-weight champion of natural remedies strikes again. A recent study published on 2016 suggested that the external application of apple vinegar on varicosity patients increased the positive effects of conservative treatment.

The patients in the study group were suggested to apply ACV to the area of the leg with varicosity alongside the treatment suggested by the doctor. The patients in the control group received no intervention during the study. After 3 months, the external application of ACV was found to increase the effect of conservative treatment and decrease symptoms without causing any side effects.

Soak a piece of cloth in raw unprocessed ACV and wrap it around the area with spider webs (precaution – if you have a sensitive skin or apply it to the delicate skin on the face, it’s best to dilute the ACV with water and start with applying it for a shorter period of time to see how your skin reacts).

Leave it there for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove.

Repeat twice a day until you can no longer see the spider veins.

You can also consume ACV internally.

Drink ACV once or twice a day.

Take 1 teaspoon raw ACV (if you can tolerate the taste, increase the dosage to up to 1 tablespoon)

Mix it with a cup of warm water or water at a room temperature and a tsp. of organic honey and drink before meals.

This can help in removing the inflammation of veins. Results may vary but you should be able to see the difference on your skin within a few months.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel acts as an astringent and anti-inflammatory and as such it can be used to shrink spider veins. The natural tannins and volatile oils, which are the principal active ingredients in witch hazel, work to constrict tiny spider veins under the skin’s surface.

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A study into the effect of applying witch hazel to skin with damaged blood vessels showed that it has a therapeutic effect. For example, the journal Alternative Medicine Review reported that witch hazel has a hemostatic effect. This means that it helps keep blood within a damaged vein. The researchers said that witch hazel has long been used to treat varicose veins.

You can use witch hazel to help reduce the appearance of spider veins on your face or legs. Just apply witch hazel soaked in a cotton ball to the area with the spider veins. Repeat 2-3 times a day to help reduce the blotchy appearance caused by spider veins. You can also make your own solution by boiling a few witch hazel leaves in water for a few minutes. Wait until it cools down and use the liquid to make a compress.

Butcher’s broom

Another natural ingredient that can help to reduce the appearance of spider veins on face and legs and improve your complexion is butcher’s broom extracts. Butcher’s broom is a small evergreen shrub that is used to improve blood circulation and constrict veins.

The Alternative Medicine Review mentioned previously reported that there is growing scientific evidence to support the traditional use of butcher’s broom for the treatment of varicose veins. The review mentions that human trials have shown that taking butcher’s broom extract showed improvement in the venous tone and better circulation.

Horse chestnut Extract

Horse chestnut is a flowering plant, and the extract made from its seeds has been extensively studied for circulation problem associated with varicose veins. Horse chestnut contains a compound called aescin which helps promote blood vessel health. Horse chestnut extracts also have anti-inflammatory properties and help to improve circulation and blood vein tone.

The journal Archives of Dermatology found that regularly taking horse chestnut extracts can help treat various conditions of the veins. For example, taking horse chestnut extracts regularly can help to reduce the symptoms of varicose veins and reduce vascular leakage.

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Mustard oil and sesame oil

Mustard and sesame oils are commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve blood flow to the affected area and are effective in diminishing the unwanted red and blue lines of spider veins. Mix a few drops of mustard or sesame oil with carrier oil and apply the blend to the spider veins twice daily.

Remedies that boost full body circulation

It’s important to address your body circulation and improve the overall flow of blood. Read more about it in my article on how to improve blood circulation and why it’s so important. This is best achieved by doing some gentle exercises (that don’t put excessive pressure on the veins) – swimming, walking, cycling.

Herbs can help as well. Some of the herbs used topically, can also be taken internally, such as horse chestnut and witch hazel.

The following three are particularly well known circulation boosters:

Ginger

According to research, the versatile ginger improves your circulation by lowering blood pressure and thinning the blood. Therefore, if you’re already on some type of drug for this, consult your doctor before you start eating large doses of ginger.

Small amounts of ginger will not make a very big difference, but you can use them in combination with other natural remedies. Add it to your fruit shake, spice up your meal or enjoy a rejuvenating ginger tea. Alternatively, you can buy powdered ginger extract and consume that. For more information about ginger, read my post on how to use ginger as a medicine. Adding ginger to your diet is also one of the 70 habits featured in my e-book 70 Powerful Habits For A Great Health which will guide you how to take positive steps to improve your wellness and overall health.

Ginkgo biloba

This prehistoric plant strengthens vein walls and improves circulation. Take 40 milligrams of ginkgo extract three times daily until you observe positive effects. The most medicinal properties are found in 50:1 standardized ginkgo extract.

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Massage

Gently massaging the area with the spider veins is another easy and simple way to improve circulation, which can help get rid of spider veins. It also helps reduce pain and inflammation.

To reduce the appearance of spider veins with massage you can use a carrier oil such as extra-virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil which contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Massage the area affected by spider veins for several minutes a few times a day to improve blood circulation. You can add to the carrier oil a few drops of essential oils for improving blood flow, such as: lemon, rosemary, ginger, peppermint, eucalyptus or cypress.

Essential oils are very versatile and can enhance your health and well-being in many ways. If you are interested to learn more about essential oils you can find useful information in my e-bookMagical Aromatherapywhich will help you to discover the power of essential oils and the most effective ways to use them.

Other Treatments to Get Rid of Spider Veins

If you find that home remedies don’t provide enough improvement in minimizing spider veins, there are medical procedures to eliminate or shrink the appearance of spider veins on the legs and face and to improve the skin complexion.

Sclerotherapy. In this procedure a highly concentrated saline (salt) solution is injected directly into the vein, causing the vein to disappear gradually over three to six weeks (although the same vein may need to be injected more than once). Once gone, the spider veins don’t return, but you may develop new ones.

Laser and intense pulsed light. These are another popular methods to get rid of unsightly spider veins. The heat from the laser and the light therapy destroys the vein but these treatments are considered less effective than sclerotherapy, particularly for larger veins.

How to Prevent Spider Veins with Lifestyle Changes

Looking at the list of causes of spider veins (obesity, prolonged standing), there are things that need to be changed in your daily routine if you want to avoid the spider vein formations in the long-run.

Maintain a healthy body weight and exercise regularly.

Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. When you sit, try to break the habit of always crossing your legs. If you need to stand, shift the weight from one leg to another every few minutes. Read more about the health implications of too much sitting in the article How Sitting Is Slowly Killing You and What You Can Do About It.

Don’t wear high heels, especially heels higher than 3 centimeters. Read more about the harmful effects of high heels in my article How High Heels Harm You.

If you’re at risk, consider wearing compression stockings. For therapeutic effects, you’ll have to get high-pressure socks (prescription-strength gradient compression hose) – you’ll need to be fitted for them by someone trained to do this.

Enjoy a spicy diet. Many spices improve blood circulation, so don’t be shy of cayenne pepper, ginger, turmeric, onions and garlic. Add them to your juices and daily meals.

Elevate your legs. Elevating your feet above the level of your heart 3 or 4 times a day for about 15 minutes at a time helps to reduce the pressure on your legs.

ACV for varicose veins and spider veins is a folk remedy and there is little scientific proof that this works, but as mentioned in the article, recent study published on 2016 suggested that the external application of ACV on varicosity patients increased the positive effects of conservative treatment. When reading the study, it doesn’t mentions specifically what is in ACV that works on spider veins, but talks generally about ACV components and its health benefits. I guess that more research is needed in this field.

I have tired the saline solutions at the Doctors & the laser treatments they always come back nothing helps I at the end of my rope the Dr said I had big feeders to my veins chances nothing will help in the long run I
Feel like I’m out of options &
money too I’m ready to give up thank goodness my daughters have beautiful legs I’m so jealous of them but can do nothing I know men don’t like to see this but I didn’t ask for this if anyone has any new things to say i would be willing to it thank you for reading this Pat

Mustard essential oil is pretty dangerous and probably taken off the market by now. You can take mustard seed and put it in a carrier oil for a period of time but it won’t smell very good to apply. Try witchhazel

Well i am using veno rid serum about 3 weeks ago. On some of my smaller veins I saw some minimizing. On the larger clusters of visible veins I definitely saw a difference. The clusters are not visible. I am going to order this again.

If you have pain from varicose veins, you need to try DermalMD Serum. It really helps in a natural way. I take it and so does my husband and son. I usually take it for about six months and have relief that lasts a long time.

Normally I’m not one to focus on the looks of my body, but I was not able to get passed these varicose veins that are taking over my lower leg. Thanks to venorid serum: The Varicose and Spider Vein Solution for allowing my calves to look much more attractive. I literally saw results within the first two weeks of using this. More importantly, I had no hesitation whatsoever considering I was practically trying the product for free. If I wasn’t satisfied with this product, I knew that I could get my money back. Fortunately, venorid serum has worked tremendously and I can’t wait to tell my friends

DO NOT take the horse chestnut if you have a latex allergy !!! your hair will start falling out. I have a client who was told by the dr. for vein health, and wow. as soon as she stopped it, with some help her hair grew back 🙂

ACV is strong stuff, and is very acidic and can damage the facial skin if applied neat, so you are best to dilute it with water when applying to the face. Start with equal parts of ACV and water and leave it for a shorter period of time to see how your skin reacts. After a while when your skin got used to it, you can gradually increase the concentration of the ACV. It depends on the tolerance of your skin.
As for essential oils – when properly diluted they are safe to apply on the face and I personally use them on my facial skin. However it’s always a good idea to do a skin test on a small patch to make sure there is no skin irritation. Make sure to avoid eye contact. If using lemon EO, make sure to apply sunscreen as lemon EO is photosensitive, which means it is sensitive to sunlight.

The appearance of my varicose veins has improved so much since I started using this, I’ve seen a big reduction. I’m into my 3rd week of using the cream and already I’m thinking of stopping using it as my legs are looking and feeling great and I really feel sexy again even though I’m still wearing my stockings, I’m still a bit self-concious and need to shake that habit and keep reminding myself my legs look good again. I was provided this product at a reduced price to complete and post a factual review without compensation. Positive reviews are earned only through positive product attributes and performance.

You may have a sensitive skin, and in this case wait until the sensitivity has gone (you can apply aloe vera on the face for the meanwhile). Next time try to dilute the ACV with water (equal parts) and start from a shorter period of time and see how your skin reacts. Then you can gradually increase time and concentration to what is suitable for you specifically.

Recently I just started venorid serum and I am so excited to see the end result. I have tons of little veins on my legs-it is just embarrassing. The first night I used it i swear I noticed a difference the next morning. Maybe it is wishful thinking but I really think it is going to work. It can;t hurt to try. I do like the scent and it goes on smooth and even feels like a moisturizer.

I can’t recommend specific method as everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another one. If however you choose to try apple cider vinegar (ACV), make sure you dilute it as neat (undiluted) ACV can burn the skin, and start with application for a shorter period of time to see how your skin reacts. With lemon essential oil – always dilute in a carrier oil. As a general suggestion, it’s always a good idea to try on a small skin patch first to see if there is any reactions or skin sensitivities. Also with home remedies often patience is requires as it is not a quick fix.

Where can I buy that product DermalMD varicose veins serum?
I have a lots of spider veins on my legs and before I go to have them done in doctor office i would like to first try that product. Thank you.

I looked up DermalMD Vericose Veins Serum & got a list, so went down to Dermal Vericose… and came across more comments like this, so I don’t know how to go any further, myself to find this Serum! So am gonna try the recipes given above. I have the products on hand that’s required. I wouldn’t wear shorts this summer cuz my legs “ARE SO VEIN”…. like an old song says!